The present invention relates to rubbers based on diolefins with a particular lateral polyether group content and to the use of said rubbers for the preparation of rubber vulcanizates with improved tear propagation resistance and favorable dynamic damping. Additionally, the rubbers according to the present invention are suitable for the manufacture of highly reinforced rubber molded articles, particularly for tires of vehicles which are used both in road traffic and off-road because, in addition to high wet skid resistance, low rolling resistance, high road abrasion resistance, they have high tear propagation resistance with relatively good ability to withstand high stresses off-road.
Anionically polymerized solution rubbers containing double bonds such as solution polybutadiene and solution styrene/butadiene rubbers have advantages over corresponding emulsion rubbers in the manufacture of low rolling resistance tire treads. The advantages lie, i.a. in the ability to control the vinyl content and the associated glass transition temperature and molecule branching. This results in particular advantages in practical application in the relationship between the wet skid resistance and rolling resistance of the tire. U.S. Pat. No. 5,227,425 describes the manufacture of tire treads from a solution SBR rubber and silica. A disadvantage of such rubber mixtures is the limited tear propagation resistance. New types of motor vehicles which may be used both in road traffic and off-road (xe2x80x9cMulti Utility Vehiclesxe2x80x9d), in addition to the known requirements in terms of rolling resistance, wet skid resistance and abrasion behavior, impose new demands in terms of high tear propagation resistance for the operation of the vehicle off-road.
Rubber mixtures of solution rubbers based on dienes with lateral functional groups are also described in German patent application no. 198 324 596. The hydroxyl groups described there lead to improvements in road-related properties such as rolling resistance, wet braking stability and abrasion, but for off-road use, further improvements in tear propagation resistance are desirable, especially in the silica-filled rubber mixtures with particularly low rolling resistance.
Rubber mixtures containing polyethers as additives are also described in EP-A 869 145. The polyethers, however, are used as antistatic agents. No details about the tear propagation resistance are given in EP-A 869 145.
The present invention provides for rubbers of diolefins and optionally other monomers with a relatively high content of effective polyether side groups, from which it is possible to manufacture tires with improved properties for both road and off-road use, more particularly with low rolling resistance, relatively high wet skid resistance, low abrasion and high tear propagation resistance.
Surprisingly, it has now been found that solution rubbers of diolefins with a particular hydroxyl group-free polyether side group content have particularly favorable properties for the manufacture of tires for the multi utility vehicles described.
Therefore, the present invention provides rubbers based on diolefins and optionally other monounsaturated monomers containing 10 to 80 wt. %, preferably 20 to 60 wt. % of 1,2-bound diolefins (vinyl content), which are characterized in that they contain 0.01 to 20 wt. %, preferably 0.1 to 15 wt. %, most preferably 0.5 to 10 wt. %, based on the total amount of rubber, of hydroxyl group-free polyether side groups.
The hydroxyl group-free polyether side groups correspond to the formulae (I) or (II) 
wherein
Polyether side groups corresponding to the following formulae are preferred: 
Polyethylene oxide polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 132 to about 1500 
Polypropylene oxide polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 174 to about 1500 
Propylene oxide/ethylene oxide mixed polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 146 to about 1500 
Polyethylene oxide polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 132 to about 1500 
Polypropylene oxide polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 174 to about 1500 
Polypropylene oxide/ethylene oxide mixed polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 146 to about 1500 
Polyethylene oxide polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 132 to about 1500
Polyethylene oxide polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 132 to about 1500 
Polyethylene oxide polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 174 to about 1500 
Polyethylene oxide polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 132 to about 1500 
Polypropylene oxide/ethylene oxide mixed polyether xe2x80x94R5 
Molecular weight 146 to about 1500
The R5 radicals herein stand for C1 to C24-alkyl radicals, preferably C1 to C8-alkyl radicals, C6 to C18-aryl radicals, preferably C6 to C10-aryl radicals, and C7 to C24-arylalkyl radicals, preferably C7 to C18-arylalkyl radicals. More preferred R5 radicals are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, octyl, dodecyl, octadecyl, phenyl, octyl-phenyl, nonylphenyl and dodecylphenyl groups. The most preferred groups are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl and octyl groups.
Preferred rubbers according to the present invention are those containing 0.1 to 15 wt. %, based on the total amount of rubber, of polyether side groups corresponding to formula (I).
Preferred rubbers according to the present invention contain, in addition to the diolefins, 0.1 to 50 wt. %, preferably 10 to 40 wt. %, based on the total amount of rubber, of vinylaromatic monomers incorporated by polymerization as further unsaturated monomers.
Moreover, the rubbers according to the present invention may also contain a 1,4-trans proportion of up to 60 wt. %, preferably from 10 to 40 wt. %, based on the total amount of diolefin incorporated by polymerization.
Diolefins used according to the present invention for the preparation of the rubbers include, in particular, 1,3-butadiene, isoprene, 1,3-pentadiene, 2,3-diemethylbutadiene, 1-vinyl-1,3-butadiene and/or 1,3-hexadiene. 1,3-Butadiene and/or isoprene are preferred.
Examples of vinylaromatic monomers which may be used for polymerization include styrene, o-, m- and p-methylstyrene, p-tert.-butylstyrene, xcex1-methylstyrene, vinyl naphthalene, divinylbenzene, trivinylbenzene and/or divinylnaphthalene. Styrene is particularly preferred.
The rubbers according to the present invention have molecular weights (number-average) from about 50,000 to 2,000,000, preferably 100,000 to 1,000,000, glass transition temperatures from xe2x88x92120xc2x0 C. to +20xc2x0 C., preferably xe2x88x9260xc2x0 C. to 0xc2x0 C., and Mooney viscosities ML 1+4 (100xc2x0 C.) from 10 to 200, preferably from 30 to 150.
The rubbers according to the present invention are prepared preferably by polymerization in solution in an inert organic solvent suitable for the purpose, using a suitable catalyst, preferably an anionic catalyst, for example, based on an alkali metal such as n-butyllithium. In addition, the well-known randomizers and control agents may be used in this polymerization to control the microstructure of the rubber. Anionic solution polymerization reactions of this kind are well known and described, e.g., in I. Franta Elastomers and Rubber Compounding Materials; Elsevier 1989, page 73-74, 92-94 and in Houben-Weyl, Methoden der Organischen Chemie, Thieme Verlag, Stuttgart, 1987, Vol. E 20, page 114-134.
The introduction of the polyether side groups into the rubber takes place preferably after polymerization of the monomers used has taken place in solution by reacting the polymers obtained, preferably in the presence of well known radical initiators, with polyether mercaptans corresponding to the formulae (III) or (IV) 
wherein
R1 to R5 and n and m have the meaning given above.
Preferred polyether mercaptans corresponding to formula (III) are monoesters of thioglycolic acid, 2- and 3-mercaptopropionic acid, mercaptobutyric acid and diesters of mercaptosuccinic acid with polyethylene oxide polyethers, polypropylene oxide polyethers and polyethylene oxide/propylene oxide mixed polyethers initiated on monofunctional C1 to C24 alcohols, preferably C1 to C8 alcohols, C6 to C18-aryl alcohols, preferably C6 and C10-aryl alcohols, and C7 to C24-arylalkyl alcohols, preferably C7 to C18-arylalkyl alcohols, the molecular weight of the polyether being preferably in the range from 164 (triethylene glycol monomethylester) to about 1500, more preferably from 300 to 1000. Particularly preferred monofunctional initiator alcohols are methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl, octyl, dodecyl, octadecyl alcohol, phenol, octyl phenol, nonyl phenol and dodecyl phenol, where methyl, ethyl, propyl, butyl, hexyl and octyl alcohol are most preferred. The preparation of these polyethers is described in the prior art. Suitable polyethers are available commercially.
More preferred polyether mercaptans (IV) are mercapto-terminated polyethylene oxide polyethers, polypropylene oxide polyethers and polyethylene oxide/propylene oxide mixed polyethers initiated on monofunctional C1 to C24 alcohols, preferably C1 to C8 alcohols, C6 to C18-aryl alcohols, preferably C6 and C10-aryl alcohols, and C7 to C24-arylalkyl alcohols, preferably C7 to C18-arylalkyl alcohols, the molecular weight of the mercapto-terminated polyether being preferably from 180 (xcfx89-mercapto-tetraethylene glycol monomethyl ether) to about 1500, most preferably from about 300 to about 1000. Such polyether mercaptans (IV) can be prepared in an inherently known manner, e.g., from the corresponding hydroxyl-terminated polyethers by reaction with hydrogen sulfide.
The reaction of the polyether mercaptans (III) or (IV) with the unmodified rubbers may be carried out in solvent or solvent-free, e.g., in a kneader or extruder at temperatures from 20xc2x0 C. to 220xc2x0 C., preferably 70xc2x0 C. to 170xc2x0 C. The reaction times range from a few minutes to several hours.
Examples of suitable solvents include hydrocarbons such as pentane, hexane, cyclohexane, benzene and/or toluene.
Preferred temperatures for the reaction of the polyether mercaptans (III) or (IV) with the unmodified rubbers in solution are 60xc2x0 C. to 150xc2x0 C. and for the reaction in bulk, e.g., in an internal mixer, 100xc2x0 C. to 200xc2x0 C.
Examples of preferred radical initiators include peroxides, particularly acyl peroxides such as dilauroyl peroxide and dibenzoyl peroxide and ketal peroxides, such as di-tert. butylperoxytrimethyl-cyclohexane, and also azo initiators such as azobis-isobutyronitrile, and benzpinacol silyl ether. Moreover, it is possible to operate in the presence of photoinitiators and visible or WV light.
The present invention also provides rubber mixtures of the rubbers according to the present invention with the fillers known and used in the rubber industry; these include both the active and the inactive fillers. They include:
fine-particle silicas prepared, e.g., by precipitation of solutions of silicates or flame hydrolysis of silicon halides with specific surfaces from 5 to 1000, preferably 20 to 400 m2/g (BET surface) and with primary particle sizes from 10 to 400 nm. The silicas may optionally also be present as mixed oxides with other metal oxides such as Al, Mg, Ca, Ba, Zn, Zr, Ti oxides;
synthetic silicates such as aluminum silicate, alkaline earth silicate such as magnesium silicate or calcium silicate, with BET surfaces from 20 to 400 m2/g and primary particle diameters from 10 to 400 nm;
natural silicates such as kaolin and other naturally occurring silica;
glass fibers and glass fiber products (mats, strands) or microglass beads;
metal oxides such as zinc oxide, calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, aluminum;
metal carbonates such as magnesium carbonate, calcium carbonate, zinc carbonate;
metal hydroxides such as, e.g., aluminum hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide;
carbon blacks. The carbon blacks to be used here are prepared by the lamp black, furnace or channel black process and have BET surfaces from 20 to 200 m2/g, e.g., SAF, ISAF, HAF, FEF or GPF carbon blacks;
rubber gels
rubber powder which was obtained, for example, by grinding rubber vulcanizates.
Fillers used are preferably fine-particle silicas and/or carbon blacks.
The amount of fillers is usually 10 to 300 parts by wt., preferably 30 to 150 parts by wt., based on 100 parts by wt. of rubber.
The fillers mentioned may be used on their own or in mixture. In a preferred embodiment, the rubber mixtures contain, as fillers, a mixture of light fillers such as fine-particle silicas, and carbon blacks, wherein the mixing ratio of light fillers to carbon blacks in terms of weight is 1:(0.05 to 20), preferably 1:(0.1 to 10), the amount of filler being in total 30 to 150 parts by wt., preferably 40 to 120 parts by wt., based on 100 parts by wt. of rubber.
Of course, the rubbers according to the present invention may be blended with other conventional rubbers, e.g., with natural rubber and synthetic rubbers.
Preferred synthetic rubbers are described, for example, in W. Hofmann, Kautschuk-technologie, Gentner Verlag, Stuttgart 1980 and I. Franta, Elastomers and Rubber Compounding Materials, Elsevier, Amsterdam 1989. They include, i.a.
and mixtures of such rubbers.
In particular, natural rubber, emulsion SBR and solution SBR rubbers with a glass transition temperature above xe2x88x9250xc2x0 C., which may optionally be modified with silyl ethers or other functional groups according to EP-A 447 066, polybutadiene rubber with a high 1,4-cis content ( greater than 90%) which was prepared with catalysts based on Ni, Co, Ti or Nd, and polybutadiene rubber with a vinyl content of up to 75% and mixtures thereof are of interest for the preparation of motor vehicle tires.
Of course, the rubber mixtures according to the present invention may contain other rubber auxiliaries which are used, for example, for the further crosslinking, of the vulcanizates prepared from the rubber mixtures, or which improve the physical properties of the vulcanizates prepared from the rubber mixtures according to the present invention for their particular purpose.
Examples of additional crosslinking agents used include sulfur or sulfur-yielding compounds or peroxides. Sulfur or sulfur-yielding compounds are used preferably in amounts from about 0.01 to 3 parts by wt., based on rubber. Moreover, as mentioned above, the rubber mixtures according to the present invention may contain further auxiliaries such as the well known reaction accelerators, antioxidants, heat stabilizers, light stabilizers, anti-ozonants, processing aids, reinforcing resins, e.g., phenolic resins, steel cord adhesion promoters such as, e.g., silica/resorcinol/hexamethylene tetramine or cobalt naphthenate, plasticizers, tackifiers, blowing agents, dyes, pigments, waxes, extenders, organic acids, retarders, metal oxides and activators.
The rubber auxiliaries according to the present invention are used in the conventional well known amounts, the amount used depending on the later intended use of the rubber mixtures. For example, amounts of rubber auxiliaries in the range from 2 to 70 parts by wt., based on 100 parts by wt. of rubber are customary.
As mentioned above, additional rubbers may be added to the rubber mixtures according to the present invention. The amount thereof is usually in the range from 0.5 to 70, preferably 10 to 50 wt. %, based on the total amount of rubber in the rubber mixture. The amount of additionally added rubbers depends again on the particular intended use of the rubber mixtures according to the present invention.
The use of additional filler activators is particularly advantageous for the rubber mixtures according to the present invention which contain highly reactive silica fillers. Preferred filler activators are silyl ethers containing sulfur, particularly bis-(trialkoxysilylalkyl)polysulfides of the kind described in DE-A 2 141 159 and DE-A 2 255 577. Moreover, oligomeric and/or polymeric silyl ethers containing sulfur corresponding to the description in DE-A 4 435 311 and EP-A 670 347 are also suitable. Mercaptoalkyltrialkoxy silanes, particularly mercaptopropyltriethoxy silane and thiocyanatoalkylsilyl ethers (see DE-A 19 544 469), amino group-containing silyl ethers such as 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane and N-oleyl-N-propyltrimethoxy silane, and trimethylolpropane may also be used. The filler activators are used in conventional amounts, i.e. in amounts from 0.1 to 15 parts by wt., based on 100 parts by wt. of rubber.
The rubber mixtures according to the present invention may be prepared, e.g., by mixing the rubbers according to the present invention with the corresponding fillers and the rubber auxiliaries in suitable mixing apparatus such as kneaders, rollers or extruders, or by mixing the solutions of the rubber with the fillers followed by removal of the solvent, e.g., by steam distillation.
The present invention also provides the use of the rubber mixtures according to the present invention for the preparation of vulcanizates which in turn are used for the manufacture of preferably highly reinforced rubber molded articles, particularly for the manufacture of tires and tire parts.